


Born to press my head between your shoulder blades

by Wif



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boats and Ships, Bucky Barnes Feels, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pining, Pirates, Tattoo Artist Steve Rogers, Tattooed Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:05:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27200143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wif/pseuds/Wif
Summary: When the cool metal touched his chin, Steve drew a sharp breath. And slowly, inch per inch, the sword forced Steve to turn his head upwards, finally looking up at the man that inspired so many tales and stories.”Steve had known that sneaking onto the ship of the feared Captain Barnes was a huge risk and that he, should he be found, could only hope for a quick death. It had seemed worth the risk. But now, kneeling in front of the Captain he wasn´t so sure anymore.In which Steve pines, hard, Bucky is a lovable bastard and Natasha is an all around badass. Also, I know nothing about ships and sailing, the last time I was on a boat I nearly puked. So, forgive me for not going into much detail about the boat life. We all just care about Bucky and Steve anyway.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 2
Kudos: 82





	Born to press my head between your shoulder blades

**Author's Note:**

> Since I´m currently quarantined (and waiting for my test results, so wish me luck) I have literary nothing to do. Like at all. So, while talking to my basil plant on the search of some way to take my mind of the current situation, I realised two things:  
> 1\. There is a disturbing lack of pirate fics in this fandom and   
> 2\. I am only about ten minutes from the ocean but it might as well be ten hours, since I am locked inside.   
> So, I decided to torture myself and hopefully sweeten your day by writing this pirate story one shot. Trigger warning for the typical pirate stuff: blood, injuries and pain. Also, Steve considers suicide for exactly one sentence but quickly changes his mind. Other than that all mistakes are my own, if anything sounds weird to you just blame it on the fact that English is not my native language. Also, comments are like food to me. Enjoy!!

It was surprisingly to sneak on board of the ship. With a crew so feared and treasures so legendary Steve had thought that trying to get on the ship unnoticed would be nearly impossible. That hadn´t stopped him of course. But still, he pondered, crouching between two barrels of what was most likely bitter tasting wine, running up the small plank that had connected the huge ship with the peer hadn´t been a struggle at all. Of course, it was late at night and the harbour was nearly abandoned but he had thought that he would have to sneak around at least two men guarding Captain Barnes ship.

Captain Barnes was known and feared in all of the colonies and if the rumours were anything close to the truth, Steve could only pray that he would not be found until the Captain´s ship reached land again. From what he had heard in the taverns along the port side the Captain was planning to anker again in three days. Not as far as Steve would have hoped to go, but it had to do. And from whatever port they would next stop, Steve would surely make his way further along, leaving his home behind forever.

They had been sailing for quite a few hours, having left shortly after Steve had found the perfect hiding spot. Or maybe not completely perfect. His legs had fallen asleep a while ago and he was trying to listen for any sounds that would indicate that a member of the crew was coming close. When he heard nothing Steve swallowed and, gathering all his courage, slowly stretched his legs. He had to bite his lip to muffle any sound, so badly were the needles pinching in his legs. Finally, his arms burning, he lowered himself on the ground and leaned back against the cold and damp wood behind him.

When he had first been trying to come up with a plan to run away without leaving any trace he had quickly dismissed the idea of risking his live on the ship of Captain Barnes. He was desperate, not insane. Captain Barnes was legendary, even for people like Steve, who had little to no knowledge of the oceans and piracy. Because that was what Barnes was. A formed soldier of the Queen´s army there were dozens of stories of why he had left the path of the law-abiding and had decided to become a plunderer and cold-blooded killer. Some said that he had been cursed by a mermaid, forcing him to roam the seas searching for a cure. Some said that he had made a deal with the devil and was now trying to pay of his debts by stealing from innocent traders. Some simply believed that he had seen the treasures the Royal Navy was transporting and had decided that his paycheque was simple not enough and that he could earn far more stealing. 

Just as terrifying as the Captain was his first mate. Unlike Captain Barnes the origin of the Red Woman was a mystery. Since the Captain had made his first great appearance as a brutal pirating captain the Red Woman had been by his side. Some said that she was a demon. Some said that she dyed her hair with the blood of those she slaughtered. Some said that she could kill a man simple by looking into his eyes. But everybody agreed that she and the Captain made a perfect couple. Steve had even heard a few songs about the acts of sexual deviance these two godless souls would commit, all while lying in the blood of those freshly murdered. 

Steve wasn´t one for the church. Sure, he would go together with his sister whenever his mother told him too. But he had realised very soon that he was a sinner, damned from the second he was born. Even if he had been born in an honourable family, if he hadn´t been the son of a moneyless midwife and a dead father, his sexual preferences were enough to damn him forever. He had made his peace with it. His love and desire for men was something to hide, sure, but Steve was not ashamed of it. Of all the things he could be ashamed of his love for the same sex didn´t even make the top ten. Still, it wasn´t something that could be paraded around. But then again, he had heard stories that pirates were more accepting than common folk. It made sense in a way. For all the sins they were committing, loving and desiring other men didn´t seem that bad. Maybe if they found and killed him, at least it would be because of his sexuality. 

The man who had pointed Steve to Captain Barnes´ ship had looked at Steve with pity. He imagined that he must have presented a rather miserable picture. His hair and clothes dirty, his cheeks hollowed from weeks of too little food and too much stuggle. He must have looked downright pityful and certainly like the kind of person who had nothing to lose. Still the man at the harbour had tried to persuade him not to plead his case with Captain Barnes. “He´ll eat you up, boy! In the pubs they say that even though he is married to the Red Woman, he likes to fuck men like you and me. Honourable man! He is amoral and dangerous. They say he made a deal with the devil, y´know?” Only after Steve had assured him almost a dozend time that he would be careful and not fall victim to Barnes´ devilish charm had the man hesitantly pointed at the big ship a little apart from the others, immediately before kissing his cross necklace and hurrying away before Steve could say his thanks.

And now he was here. Curled up as small as possible in a dark corner and hoping he would not be found. Steve had never been on the ocean before. He had heard stories of course, of all the monsters and creatures, of all the vagabonds and thieves that crossed the sea looking for treasure. Of the horrible storms, so much stronger than the storms on land. And the giant waves, big enough to swallow an entire ship. The sea had definitely gotten rougher the longer they sailed. Steve had to hold on to one of the barrels as not to get knocked over. Still after the journey he had had, travelling for days on end, always looking over his shoulder he could feel his muscles relax and his eyes drop. His head had just nodded to the left for the hundreds time, shaking him from the few seconds of sleep his body desperately needed, when he heard voices.

“… so fucking glad to be out of the goddamn town. Can´t stand the smell of all these filthy traders, trying to sell you a sparkly rock as a rare diamond. I swear the whole town smells of horse shit! Don´t even have any pretty women there.”

A second voice: “There were plenty of pretty ladies. Maybe they all just hid as soon as they saw your ugly mug.”

“Maybe you just don´t have any standards, Hawk. You probably fuck anything that doesn’t move quick enough.” 

“Take that back! You take that back, right now!” The voice had risen but still it seemed like a friendly banter. From his hiding spot Steve could see the two men roughhousing just a few feet from him. The man that had been called Hawk had sandy blond hair and a fine scar running all the way from his eyebrow to his upper lip. He was wearing several knives on his belt, throwing knives from what Steve could make out. The other man was taller, dark skinned, with a colourful scarf wrapped around his head. He too, was heavily armed. 

Steve swallowed, desperately trying to will his body to stay still. He was starting to shake, his muscles stressed from the position they had been forced into for so long, the stress and nerves hitting Steve all at once. This was real. It was happening right now. He had really done it! He had sneaked on the ship of the most dangerous pirate captain in the world, on the mad chance that he would not be found, that he would come out the other end alive. The man at the port had been right, his eyes conveying that he thought Steve to be a truly helpless creature. It was true. After all, what was waiting for him back home was a thousand time worse than what Barnes could ever do to him. At least that was what Steve kept telling himself for hours like a mantra, after the door had been closed behind the two men, leaving him trapped in darkness once again.

The sound of the dropping apples was so loud that it jerked Steve right out of the uneasy slumber he had fallen into. The blood in his veins froze, his brain racing, frantically trying to figure out how the apples had fallen over right in front of his hiding spot. It must have been his legs, jerking and trying to get into a more comfortable position as if they hadn´t understood that Steve had to sacrifice comfort for his survival for a few days. Before Steve could make any effort the clean up the mess he had made and thereby hopefully stopp the pirates from closer inspecting his hiding spot the door was thrown open. 

“The fuck was this? Hey, Sam, didn´t you secure the basket with the apples? It must have toppled over.”

“Why would I secure it? You brought it in.” 

The same two pirates had entered, one holding a lantern, whose flickering candlelight threw weird and hasty shadows over the crates and barrels.

“Ah, bullshit. Yer just to fuckin´ lazy to do your work. C´mon, at least you can help me now picking ´em up.” Hawk put down the lantern and started picking up the apples that had rolled all around the storage room. The pirate called Sam joined in, muttering angrily. Steve watched them, frozen in his hiding spot. There was one apple, lying only a few feet from him. If the man picking it up wouldn´t look straight ahead at the barrels, he wouldn´t see him. Still, Steve´s eyes kept flickering between the two man and the apple. He couldn´t believe that his future was almost ruined by an apple. When Sam bent down, hand reaching to pick up the apple, while looking back at Hawk and cursing at him, Steve could feel the relieve in his body. Sam would pick up the apple without looking properly and everything would be fine. 

Everything went to shit in just a matter of seconds. A wave must have hit the ship, forcing it ever so slightly to accommodate this force. And the apple started rolling. Steve´s eyes followed the apple as it rolled closer and closer before softly hitting his worn-down shoes. And he could do nothing as Sam swore, stepped a little bit closer, crouched down again and reached between the barrels only to look directly into Steve´s frightfully widened eyes. 

For a second neither of them said anything. Sam stared at Steve, his dark eyes squinting, his brows furrowing. The pirate seemed to catch himself quicker than Steve. “Hey, who the fuck are you? What the hell are you doing here, hiding in the dark?” 

“Sam?” Steve could hear the other man step closer. And before Steve could even think about defending himself, Sam grabbed him with both hands and roughly pulled him from his hiding spot, only to throw him on the hard ground in front of Hawk´s feet a second later.

“What the fuck?” Hawk seemed equally confused and angry. Steve could barely push himself up, as he felt hands on his arms, turning him over. Hawk was kneeling in front of him. “How the fuck did you get on this ship? And who are you working for? Answer me!” He shook Steve as if the movement would make the answers fall from his lips easier. “I don´t… Please, don’t hurt me! I don’t work for anybody, I swear. Oh god, please don’t hurt me. I swear, I don´t mean any harm.”

“Bullshit!” Sam spat out the word. Steve glanced up to him. The pirate had his hand on one of the knives on his belt, his face twisted into a grimace of disgust and anger. 

“No! Please, I swear. I was just trying to get away. Please, I swear to God, I´m not trying to steal anything!”

Hawk scoffed. “Yeah, well. Tell that to the Captain.” Steve could feel his blood draining from his face. Oh God, no! Not Captain Barnes. He could barely start to imagine the horrors that would await him if the Captain found out about his presence. But as the two pirates grabbed his arms, forcing him to stand up and walk toward the door connected to the rest of the ship, Steve realised that it wouldn´t be a matter of if. He would certainly meet the feared Captain and his own death in a matter of minutes. 

********************************************

The way to the Captain´s cabin seemed impossible long and way too short at the same time. Once outside Steve could see that the sun had just started to rise, painting the sky in a beautiful pink. Yet Steve had no mind to appreciate the beauty of nature. His lungs were struggling, there didn´t seem to be enough air to fill them properly and he felt his arms and legs going numb. Steve helplessly looked for a way out as he was dragged between Sam and Hawk towards the other end of the ship, where the Captain´s cabin laid. But there was none. 

Hawk knocked on the door with a heavy fist, the sound ripping the quiet air of the early morning. “Hey, Captain! Open up! We have somethin´ for you here. Someone, more precisely.” He gave Steve a mean smile. “You don´t wanna talk to us? Fine. But trust me, the Captain will make ya talk.” Steve could only shake his head, desperate and wordless. Then the door was pulled open, but it wasn´t Captain Barnes´ face Steve found himself staring into. 

There were many tales about the deadly beauty of the Red Woman, but none of them had been able to accurately describe the woman looking at Steve. Her smaragd eyes, first curious and annoyed, quickly earned a sharp edge as she took in Steve´s fearful face and miserable appearance. Her red hair framed her porcelain face perfectly and she seemed almost otherworldly beautiful. Yet, under her watchful gaze, Steve had no thoughts to spend pondering her beauty. After she had finished taking him in, she turned back into the room, calling out: “We seem to have picked up something more than just food and alcohol at our last stop.” 

A dark voice called from inside: “What is it? Come on in, I want to see what is worth disturbing me so early in the morning.” A shiver run up Steve´s back. This was the Captain. The most feared captain in all the oceans. He could only shake his head wordlessly as the Red Woman grabbed his collar and pulled him into the room.

Steve had no time to take in the inside of the room, before he was pushed to his knees in front of a heavy wooden table. A pair of worn brown boots entered his field of vision. That had to be Captain Barnes. Steve kept his head stubbornly down, not daring to lift his eyes. Maybe if he never looked up at the Captain, he would never have to feel his wrath. Kneading his hands, he tried desperately to calm his nerves. After all he had known that being found out was a possibility and he had accepted this risk. So now he had to deal with the consequences. The cabin was deadly silent for a few seconds. Hawk and Sam had entered after Steve, closing the door behind them. Steve could only faintly hear the sounds of the sea. 

Then, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the Captain drawing the sword hanging from his belt. Steve could only follow the sharp metal with his eyes helplessly as it moved closer and closer towards his throat. He wished he could move, jump up and make his way out of the cabin, without being grabbed by the other men. He wished he could jump overboard, for that was better than to be gutted kneeling in front of another man without putting up much of a fight.

When the cool metal touched his chin, Steve drew a sharp breath. And slowly, inch per inch, the sword forced Steve to turn his head upwards, finally looking up at the man that inspired so many tales and stories.

Captain Barnes exuded an almost eery calm, his ice blue eyes watching Steve closely as if he was scanning him for weaknesses. His hair was longer that it was appropriate for any gentleman, and he wore it open, the brown locks spilling over his shoulders, almost touching his collarbones. A faint stubble darkened his cheeks, giving him an even more dangerous look. His white shirt was opened wide, allowing Steve to see the tip of a tattoo peaking up from his chest. Captain Barnes stood still, only his eyes kept flickering over Steve´s fearful face and his dishevelled clothes. 

“And who might you be, boy? I don´t remember allowing anyone new on my ship in the last port. But maybe you can help me jog my memory. Pray tell, what is your name?”

Steve tried to swallow, but his throat was as dry as the desert. “Steve.”, he rasped out. “My name is Steve, Captain.” 

“Steve. Mmh. Well, Steve,” he drew the name long as if to taste it,” I´d love to say that it is a pleasure meeting you, but since you came on my ship uninvited, that´s is not quite true, is it? And you know, we pirates love to tell the truth.” He flashed a smile to the pirates standing behind Steve, as if they were sharing an inside joke. “So, tell me Steve. What do you want on my ship?”

“Nothing, Captain, I swear on everything holy.”

“But that is not the truth now, is it? If you wanted `nothing´”, he smiled again, but this time his smile was mean and mocking,” well, then you wouldn´t be on my ship, right? So, again, what do you want? I am warning you; I am not the patient kind. I would say if you value your life you should speak the truth now, but since you stupidly tried to hide on my ship, I gather that your life doesn´t hold much value to you. However, I assure you, it holds even less value to me.”

“Please, don´t kill me, Sir! I swear I wasn´t trying to steal or to spy or to… I don´t know! I was just trying to get away. I thought that you could take me far away from my home.”

“And you decided that the best way to do that was to use my ship as a free ride?”

Steve desperately tried to think of a way to explain the situation in a way that wouldn´t enrage Barnes more. The wood was hard beneath his knees as he looked up at the Captain, not daring to move his head an inch as the tip of the sword was still holding up his chin. Closing his eyes, he tried to gather his nerves. “I had to get away from home and quite frankly sneaking on your ship wasn´t my first choice but I had to do what I had to do. I swear on everything holy that I didn´t come on your ship to steal, whether it might be treasures or information. Neither did I come here to harm anybody. I was just trying to get as far away from home as possible.”

Captain Barnes pulled his sword back, but before Steve could release a shaky breath of relieve, Barnes kneeled in front of him and grabbed his collar pulling him close. Staring up at the Captain´s icy eyes Steve didn´t dare to take a breath. The Captain´s eyes roamed his face, as if he was searching Steve´s mimic for any hints of a lie. The room was deadly quiet.

“What are you running away from, boy?” 

“An unjust fate.”

“What is that suppose to mean? You come unto my ship uninvited and plead for your life, yet you refuse to give any good reason to spar you.”

A crazy thought shot through Steve´s head. He couldn´t tell Barnes about his past, not without knowing if he could trust him. But he could offer him something else.

“I can work for you.”

A grin split Barnes´ stern face. “Work for me? Doing what exactly? Badly hiding somewhere on my ship?” 

“No, but I can be your doctor.”

“A doctor? You? Excuse me for not believing that.” Barnes was now openly laughing.

“Okay, so maybe I never studied medicine, but I still know far more about treating injuries and pain relief than any doctor in a hospital could ever know.”

Barnes stared at him for another long moment. Then he let go of Steve´s collar, rising up. “Take him to the room Mister Yinsen used to occupy. There he can prove if he really is what he claims to be.”, he ordered, addressing the men standing behind Steve. “But Captain, we don´t even know whether or not he is only bluffing! He probably knows nothing about medicine!” Captain Barnes looked at Hawk with cold eyes. “If that is the case than I´ll personally allow you to throw him overboard. Take him away.” He turned away as if he was bored with the whole situation. The last thing Steve saw before he was dragged out of the room was the Red Woman, putting her hand on the Captain´s shoulder as she turned him around to face her.

******************************************************

The room the pirates dragged Steve to was rather small, filled from floor to ceiling with shelves which in turn contained thousand of small boxes. After the door was slammed shut behind him Steve took a second to look around and organise his thoughts. So, against all odds he was still alive. Of course, that could only be a temporary situation if he didn´t manage to impress the Captain with his skills. Steve had not in fact been lying when he had told the Captain about his medical abilities. His mother had been a kind and patient teacher for him and his sister, and he had spent most of his time growing up studying the human body and the remedies for all kinds of illnesses and injuries. Still, he had no idea if he was equipped to deal with the kind of horrific injuries a pirate´s life could bring. 

Sighing he started to look around the room, trying to make note of what he had to work with. Most of the boxes were filled with small brown glass bottles, all of them containing liquids and all of them wearing a miniscule piece of paper around their necks, labelling them. “Thank god!” Steve let out a relived breath. Making his way through the boxes he found that he had at least heard off most of the potions and had even used some of them already. In the small drawer by a desk pressed in the corner of the room he found a notebook. Blowing the dust away from it, Steve sat down on the small bed beside the window. 

The notebook must have belonged to the former inhabitant of the room. Steve briefly wondered what had happened to Mister Yinsen before pushing the thought away. He´d rather not think about all the ways the pirates could have killed the doctor because his practice was not up to their standards. The notebook proved to be very helpful, the pages full of useful information about the potions and the other ingredients in the room. Steve also found a whole section with detailed descriptions of all sorts of injuries, some were even accompanied by an equally detailed drawing of the particular injury. Had Steve not been attending births at his village from the age that he was old enough to hand his mother the necessary tools as she called for them, he would surely be disgusted. But now Steve was just filled with an immense thankfulness for the previous inhabitant of the small room, the notebook was truly a treasure beyond compare. 

**********************************************

Steve would have loved nothing more than to curl up under the dusty blanket covering the bed. Even though the sun had barely just risen he felt as if his body had been dragged to hell and back and he yearned to lie back and relax. But unfortunately, the pirates had different plans for his day. A loud knock on the door caused Steve to jerk up from where he had been curled up on the bed. The notebook slipped from his fingers and he hastily grabbed it, shoving it under the blanket. Steve didn´t know the pirate he opened the door to, but he looked equally intimidating and weirdly friendly. He had long, dirty-blond hair and a frankly impressive beard. His shirt was stretched wide over an equally impressive stomach. If Steve had to be honest, the man in front of him looked more like a viking than a pirate fit to sail the Caribbean. 

“Good morning!” The man grabbed Steve´s shoulder and shook him, but since he did all that with a huge smile on his face, Steve interpreted the gesture to just be a rather weird, but ultimately harmless greeting. “Good morning to you too.” 

“The Captain said that you were hired in the last port. Sort of a last-minute thing, huh? Well, it´s good that you are here now. We really do need a good doctor to take care of us, ya know? After Yinsen decided to settle down with his family, he left all his stuff for the next guy, but nobody was eager to work for the captain. He has a certain reputation, right? But you don´t care about that, do you? Is a good thing, you coming here, really is. Anyway, I didn´t introduce myself yet, did I? My names Thor, I´m the cook of this ship, among other things. Cap told me to come and take you get some food. We´re all having breakfast in a few an´ he wants to introduce you to the others, I reckon. C´mon!” He pulled Steve out of the room so quickly that Steve barely had time to close the door behind him. 

As they made their way down the small hallway Thor chattered on about the crew and the Captain, but Steve still had to digest the previous information. Barnes had really told his men that he had hired Steve? That would make Steve´s start as the ship doctor so much easier! Had the men known that Steve was essentially a prisoner they would sure as hell not welcome him as warmly as Thor had done. What reason did Barnes have to act like that? Steve was still pondering on that thought when they reached the eating area. Several long desks and chairs were positioned all over the room, filled with roughly two dozen men. At the other end of the room was a table that stood facing the others. Behind it sat Captain Barnes, the Red Woman and Sam, the latter on each side of the captain. Thor pulled Steve towards this table. As soon as they reached it, Sam stood up. “I´m gonna hit the hay. Night watch is really way to hard on my old bones.” Nodding at the Captain he quickly left the room. Thor pushed Steve towards the now vacant seat left of Captain Barnes. “C´mon, sit down. Is your right, as the ship´s doctor.” Steve gave the captain a questioning look, but he just nodded his head slightly, indicating that Steve should sit down. 

Slowly Steve lowered himself on the wooden chair, gripping the armrests tightly. As soon as he had sat down, Barnes put two fingers in his mouth, whistling sharply. The ruckus in the room quieten down immediately. Everybody turned to looked at the captain as he started to speak. “Good morning everybody! I know you are as glad as I am to have left that shithole town. We are now on our way to the east where several large trading vessels are supposed to be ankering. We´ll surely be able to have a nice chat with one or two of them.” Approving laughter filled the room. “Also, I am pleased to announce that I have found a replacement for Mister Yinsen. Steve joined us at the last port, so at least on good thing came out of stopping there. Be nice to him, we want to keep him for a while, don´t we?” While the pirates were loudly agreeing and lifting their cups to toast to Steve, he could only focus on Barnes as he took a long look at Steve while drinking deeply from his cup. The moment was broken as soon as Barnes turned away, announcing that breakfast was to be served. Steve lowered his eyes to the plate in front of him, blinking quickly as he tried to get a hold of himself. What the hell was he thinking, staring longingly at Barnes? The Captain was dangerous and his wife even more so. Should she ever find out that Steve liked the way Barnes´ eyes reflected the light, she would surely make Steve´s life hell. 

******************************************

The first few times a pirate had entered Steve´s room and asked for his help because of this injury or that pain, his voice had shaken with every recommendation he had made. But after a few successfully treated patients Steve slowly regained the confidence in his abilities. He was even able to stop a man from forcing him to pull out an aching tooth, offering him instead a cream that would pull the infection out. The man, a strange looking fellow with grey hair like an old person, who introduced himself as Pietro had complained at length about the foul tasting medicine, but when the pain disappeared within a week he had insisted on kissing Steve on both cheeks and pulled him along to join a game of cards. 

The crew was surprisingly friendly and willing to listen to his ideas on how to best treat the various injuries the men gained from the life on the ship. Steve had also become fast friend with Thor. The cook had made it his personal mission to “fatten you up, boy. Far to skinny, far to skinny.” He would mutter unhappily whenever Steve was not able to finish the giant portions he was offered. On his downtime Steve would join Thor in the ship´s kitchen, peeling potatoes for hours on end and talking to Thor about the life on the ship. Thor gave useful tips on how to deal with seasickness and on how to tie everything down, when they were expecting a storm. 

He also introduced Steve to the rest of the crew. Steve had problems remembering all the names but after a while he was able to greet every man visiting him by name. There was Tony, the ship´s mechanic. At first Steve was taken aback by his rude and off-putting demeanour. However, he had quickly learned to value the man for his honesty and enjoyed the jokes that left his sharp tongue. Bruce was a quiet and reserved man, often working closely with Tony. But his shy appearance was quickly forgotten in the heat of the battle. Steve had to patch up several men who had spared with Bruce and had lost to him. The man wasn´t the quickest or knew the best moves but he was able to put all his might in his punches, thereby throwing the other man of their rhythm. There were Sam and Hawk, whose real name was Clint as Steve had learned. The two men had given Steve knowing glances as they were reintroduced but had done nothing to give away that they had met Steve in a less than ideal situation. 

But for all the time Steve spend getting to know the crew and the life on the ship, he saw the Captain only a handful of times. Breakfast was often a hastily affair for Steve, between helping Thor, talking to the crew and patching up small wounds, he had no time for a conversation longer that exchanging a few pleasantries with the Captain. Barnes also never seem to be injured, or if he were, he didn´t trust Steve enough to take care of him. The only times Steve saw Barnes he was always joined by the Red Woman, whose name was Natasha as Steve had learned. Natasha seemed to always watch everything going on around her, never loosening up or letting her guard down. She was the perfect first mate to Barnes and Steve had no doubts that there were no rumours about the woman´s suitability for the job. She was never unfriendly and even let Steve treat her cuts and bruises, but she never made a move to become friends with him. 

When Steve is called to the Captain´s room for the first time after having spend almost two months on the ship he almost couldn´t believe his ears. “The Captain wants to see me? Are you sure?” Tony, who had delivered the message, huffed annoyed. “Yes, doc. He told me he needs you to come and to bring something to stitch him up.” “Sutures? What the hell? Is he badly injured?” Steve frantically began to collect the necessary tools, all while trying to remain calm. “If he were really in danger of dying, do you think I would stand here as calm as I´m now? Calm down, he probably just cut himself with his pocketknife or something. Anyway, I told you, so now I´m gonna go back to the cannons, they ain´t gonna repair themselves.” Muttering to himself he took off. 

Steve took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He could do sutures. He had stitched up hundreds of wounds, his fingers closing the flesh with experience. Still the thought that it would be Barnes he was treating made Steve´s breath quicken. While he had only seen the captain a few times over the last weeks, Steve had certainly not lost his attraction to him. On the contrary, Steve´s appreciation and admiration for the man had only grow. Seeing the way he treated his crew with respect, never acting unjust or in anger had opened Steve´s eyes and made him realise that all the terrible rumours about the man were just that, rumours. Barnes´ beauty had of course no say in the matter. At least that was what Steve tried to keep telling himself. 

By the time Steve reached the Captain´s room he had been able to mostly calm his nerves, or at the very least his outwards appearance was able to exude some kind of calmness. Making a fist, willing his hand not to shake, he knocked on the door. “Come in!”, Barnes voice called. Steve quickly pushed the door open and let himself in the room. It looked pretty much the same as it has the first time he had been here, on his knees and terrified. Barnes was sitting on his mattress with was pressed into the wall in a little alcove. He was wearing a dark red shirt, which was indecently wide opened as most of his shirts seemed to be. Looking up at Steve the Captain gestured for him to come close. 

“Come on, don´t just stand there. I had an unfortunate training accident and am in need off your caring hands. From what the crew tells me you are a very capable doctor. I´ve been also told that your stiches are very tidy and that you have the ability to cleanly stitch up even the most gruesome wounds.”

“I ah… I´m just doing my work, Sir.”

“Take the compliment, boy.” Barnes turned around and pushed the shirt from his shoulders. A cut was bisecting his back right in the middle. Barnes turned further, his back muscles flexing. Steve swallowed as he watched the blood drip down on the shirt pooling around Barnes´ waist. He was equally fascinated by Barnes´ broad back as he was disgusted by his own leering at a man who was essentially his patient. Still he found himself frozen on the spot until Barnes´ turned his head to face him again and teasingly said: “Surely this kind of wound is not so uncommon for you. Don´t look so horrified and get to work.”

“Yes, Sir.” Steve quickly stepped closer, opening the little box of tools he had brought. Trying to gather his nerves he sat down behind Barnes. “I´m first going to clean the wound. Then I´ll start stitching, alright?” “Sure, doc. Get on with it.” Inhaling deeply Steve grabbed a clean piece of cloth, drenching it with water and then began to gently clean the blood from Barnes back. For a few moments, the two men were silent and only the sound of the sea could be heard. Then Barnes spoke again. “It´s true, what I said earlier. The crew is quite impressed by you. And I must confess, so am I. When I saw you kneeling in front of me, I wasn´t sure if my decision to give you a chance was the right one. If it hadn´t been for Natasha convincing me to give you at least a week I would have made port again as quickly as possible and kicked you out. But she was convinced that you would be a real asset. As usual she was right.”

“The Red Woman believed I would fit in here? I´m not quite sure what to make of that. Honestly, I thought she wasn´t very fond of me.” Steve put the now reddened cloth aside and flicked the needle through the flame of the candle of the bedside table. 

“The Red Woman. Mmh. When she hears you calling her that, she´ll like you even more. But yeah, she was sure that you had potential. And you did not disappoint. From what I heard you only threw up a hand full of times in the first weeks.” He turned his head and gave Steve a teasing wink. Steve quickly lowered his eyes back to where his hands were trying to force the string through the needle eye. He felt the blood rush into his cheeks and cursed his pale Irish complexion. Barnes continued, not having realised how his simple action had made Steve´s heartbeat quicken. 

“I hope you plan on sticking around a little longer. I know a pirate´s live isn´t what most people imagine. Far more sailing than fighting, drinking and stealing riches. But I still believe that it´s better than the other options you might have.” Maybe it was just Steve´s wishful thinking but did Barnes´ voice sound hopeful? He was probably not looking forward to hiring another ship´s doctor. Steve imagined that it must be terribly difficult trying to find a professional who was willing to give up a law abiding live and good payment for the uncertain future a pirate´s life could hold. 

“I have nowhere else to be, Sir. Frankly three months ago I wasn´t sure if I would still be alive at this point so I am very thankful for each and every day. So, I plan on staying as long as you allow it. There, the stitches are done.” During the whole ordeal Barnes had not given any indication that he was even the smallest bit in pain. Steve was equally impressed and horrified by his pain tolerance. 

“Good. That is good to hear. Well, then.” Barnes pulled his shirt up again and turned around. Steve realised only now how close the two of them sat. While he had been treating Barnes, he had been able to push the thoughts about the warm and smooth skin underneath his fingers away in favour of concentrating on his work. But now his fingertips started to tickle with the want to touch Barnes again. 

Barnes continued, unaware of Steve´s internal struggle. “Since you are planning on staying, you should consider learning to fight. I can imagine, coming from a civil life holding weapons might be strange for you. But while you won´t be joining us in a fight again another crew anytime soon, you should really learn how to defend yourself.”  
“Yes.”  
“Yes? As in you want to learn?”  
“Well, yeah. I want to be able to defend myself. Who´ll teach me?”

“Oh, alright then. To be honest, I expected more of a discussion about this. But very well. I was going to suggest Sam as your teacher but since he was the one who gave me this unfortunate cut, I don´t think he´ll be the right fit for a beginner. So first the first few lessons you´ll have to be content with me.”  
“You? Surely the Captain has other tasks than teaching the newbie how to hold a sword.”

Barnes grinned. “Maybe. But I´ll make time for you.” He stood up and stretched his head from one side to the other. Only because Steve was watching him intently was why he saw the little wince Barnes tried to suppress. “Are there more injuries? I have more bandages and even more to stitch.” Steve knew he sounded overly eager but for some reason he wanted to continue talking to the Captain as long as possible. Barnes looked down to were Steve was still seated in the alcove. “It´s nothing you can do anything about. Just an old wound bothering me.”   
“Let me see, please. Maybe I can do something.” Barnes didn´t seem convinced but still obliged and sat back down beside Steve, lowering his shirt once again. 

Steve was not proud of the small gasp he let out. Sure, he had seen other man shirtless before but none of them were as build or as tattooed as Barnes was. If he was quite honest, he had to admit that he had never seen a tattoo up close. Tattoos were frowned upon be the general society and the only people with tattoos were the men on the oceans, sailors and pirates. The tattoos Barnes had span across his broad chest. A ship with an uncanny resemblance to the ship Steve was currently living on. The Madonna, her praying hands right above Barnes´ heart. A kraken, twisting his way up to Barnes´ neck. And dozens of roses, decorating the horrible scars on Barnes´ left shoulder. 

“I know it´s not very pretty to look at.” For a second Steve was confused. Sure, tattoos were unusual, but the ones Barnes had decorating his chest were one of the most beautiful pieces of art Steve had ever seen. Then he realised that Barnes had not been talking about the pictures but about the red and twisted scars on his left shoulder. Steve mentally slapped himself for lusting over his patient yet again and looked up at Barnes questioning eyes. The Captain had a weirdly soft look on his face, his eyes full of misplaced compassion. 

“Scars are a part of this life, I´m afraid. Still, I know they are not nice to look at.” He reached for his shirt, attempting to cover himself up again. Steve stopped him, haltering his hand in the middle of its movement. “I, uh, I am sure they feel stiff, right?” “Yeah, how did you…” Barnes trailed of. Steve shook his head. “This isn´t the first time I see a scar, Captain. I can try and see if I have all the ingredients for a salve that I can massage into the scars. That should make them smoother and the movement easier.” Barnes hesitated but then nodded. “Yes, please. If you think it will help.” “Most certainly. I´ll have to massage it in every day or so, and then after a couple of weeks you should be all better.”

*********************************************

When Steve made his way to the Captain´s quarters around noon the following day he had to actively remind himself not to quicken his steps. The Captain had promised they would train together today and afterwards, Steve would help him with the pain caused by the scars. Mindful of the training ahead Steve had decided to put on a loose shirt and equally lose fitting pants, allowing him to move freely. When he saw Steve walking towards him on deck, Barnes smiled and rose from where he had been sitting and talking with Sam and Natasha. “You´ll have to excuse, I have promised Steve that I´ll show him how to be a real pirate.” The other two were leering and Natasha even gave Steve an exaggerated wink. Steve turned quickly, trying not to show how flustered he had become, seeing Barnes stalk towards him. The Captain seemed to have had the same idea as Steve. He, too, was wearing loose, black trousers and an airy white shirt, allowing his tattoos to peak through. As they made their way towards the back of the ship, where the weapons were stored and they had a bit more privacy, Steve caught himself again and again looking at the way Barnes muscular shoulders shifted underneath the bright fabric. 

“We´ll start nice and easy. Wooden swords for now, don´t want you to end up like me.” Barnes threw a sword to Steve, who barely managed to catch it. Embarrassed Steve turned the handle in his hand, trying to get a feel for the sword before he would make even more of fool out of himself than he already had. Barnes seemed to catch his unease. “Calm down, Steve. We all started out as beginners. I expect no miracles from you today. Ready? Then lower your stance like this and attack me.” 

Barnes´ approach to teaching seemed to be to let Steve figure out the best way himself. He gave little pointers but for the most time he let Steve attack him and then show him how quickly he could be disarmed. It was incredibly frustrating, but Steve was even more so proud of himself as he managed to copy Barnes´ movements and figure out how to incorporate them into his own fighting style. Sure, the Captain was built totally different then Steve, but he still managed to teach him the basics. And Steve had to confess, learning how to fight was fun and riveting. But, after he was disarmed and thrown on the ground for what felt like the hundreds time for his poor back, he had enough. The Captain seemed to realise it quickly. “Okay enough for today.” Pulling Steve up, he patted his shoulders and smiled broadly. “You did good. We´ll continue tomorrow.” Taking the sword from Steve he turned around, making his way to his quarters. Steve picked up his back and followed the Captain.

Inside the Captain´s room, Barnes quickly got rid of his shirt and marched over to a water bowl that had been placed on his desk. Steve sat down on the bed and tried not to focus on the way Barnes was wiping down his chest, getting ride of sweat and dirt. “I gather that you had all the ingredients?” “Ah, yes. And I even found some scent so that the creme now smells like lovely roses. I hope you are not offended by that.” Barnes made his way over to the bed. “Why should I? Who doesn´t like the smell of roses?” “Well, I suppose everybody likes them. But still, I think some men prefer not to smell like them.” Barnes huffed and laid down, looking up at Steve from where his head rested on his pillow. “I rather enjoy smelling nice. And if some fellows don´t think the smell of roses is up to their standards, then frankly I pity their bed partners.” He folded his arms under his head and nodded towards the small container in Steve´s hands. “Ready to start.” 

Steve blinked, then caught himself and quickly scooped some cream on his hands. “Yes, sure. Maybe lower your left arm, so the scars won´t be stretched.” He scooted upwards and settled down beside Barnes´ arm. When his cream covered hands touched Barnes heated skin, the Captain let out a small gasp. “Oh, sorry. Cold hands.” Steve apologised. “It´s fine.” Somehow Barnes´ voice seemed raspier than before. Steve pushed the thoughts of all the other ways he could make Barnes sound like that out of his head and started to massage the cream into the Captain´s skin.

Barnes seemed to be content with just lying there and feel Steve´s hands rubbing the cream on his raised scars. The Captain had closed his eyes and his breathing had calmed down the longer Steve worked the cream into his wounded skin. Steve in turn took this opportunity to look at Barnes´ tattoos more intently. All of them were incredibly detailed and Steve couldn´t imagine how long it had taken the artist to put the colour underneath the Captain´s skin. He had heard that it hurt quite lot. He couldn´t imagine how hard it must have been, lying still and not moving, so the pictures wouldn´t blur. 

“Do you like them?” Steve flinched and looked up at the Captain´s face. Barnes was watching him out of half-lidden eyes and Steve bit his lip on the thought of his staring being discovered once again. “They are beautiful.”, he answered honestly. “I used to draw, back home, but I can´t imagine how hard it must be to put this kind of art under the skin. I suppose it´s much harder to get skin to cooperated than it is paper.” “Mmh.” Barnes continued to watch him with his eerily focused eyes. For a long second Steve felt his hands still as he just stared into the Captain´s eyes. Then Barnes broke the eye contact and Steve was able to move his hands again. 

“I´m sure you could learn.” Steve made a questioning noise but didn´t dare to look up from where his hands were massaging the pirates tan shoulder. Steve had tanned considerably over the last few weeks, but he was nowhere near as sun kissed as the Captain.   
“I said you could learn. If you want to. Natasha does most of the crews tattoos and I´m sure she´d like an apprentice. Just ask her if you are interested.”   
“I think I will. Thanks for the tip, Captain. I´m done now.”  
Standing up he wiped his hands on his pants and then quickly grabbed his bag. But before he could walk away from the alcove, warm fingers encircled his wrist. Steve turned around, looking at Barnes questioningly.   
“I think it´s time you call me by my first name. After all, good relationship between a ship´s doctor and the Captain are important, right?”  
“Right.”   
Steve´s voice was weirdly breathless as his eyes kept flickering to where the Captain was touching him.  
“Well, then. My name is Bucky.”   
“Okay, Bucky. I´m Steve.”   
“Yeah, I know.” Barnes chuckled and then settled back into his pillow.   
“See you at dinner, Steve.”   
“Yeah, see you.”  
Steve hightailed out of the Captains (Bucky´s!) quarters, trying not to stop and bang his head against the wall. Why was he acting like a love drunk fool? Soon Barnes would realise Steve´s lust and then he would surely distance himself.

*******************************************

Bucky did not distance himself from Steve. If anything, their friendship grew stronger and stronger over the next few weeks. They continued to train together and after Steve had been thrown on his back with a sword pointing at his throat for the hundreds time, he had even been able to disarm Bucky. The Captain had kneeled in front of him, his hands raised as he proudly looked up at Steve, unbothered by the tip of the sword pressed to his throat. It was a weird way of mirroring Steve´s first morning on the pirates ship and Steve could not help but think about how his life had turned around completely and how it was so much different than expected and yet so much better. Bucky had made it´s his mission to teach Steve all the different games one could play with a deck of cards and mercilessly won over him every time. Steve in turn didn´t care for the regular humiliation in the dining room because Bucky would relax and laugh more and more as the evening grew longer. Steve did not manage to control himself any better whenever he was massaging Bucky´s shoulder, but the Captain didn´t seem to notice or he simply didn´t care.

Natasha, who still terrified Steve, had take it upon herself to teach Steve how to paint on a living canvas and had even offered her own back up for Steve´s first tattoo on human skin, after Steve had tattooed the skin of countless oranges and citrons. Steve had blushed terribly when the petite woman had stripped down to her undershirt, but he surprised himself with an utterly calm attitude as he started to put the black colour under her skin. Later that day Bucky had complimented him on the spider that he had tattooed on Natasha. Steve still didn´t understand why the first mate wanted such a terrifying image on her body, but maybe it simply fit her whole appearance. Steve also still hadn´t figured out if the Captain and the first mate were married or just in a relationship. Neither of them wore rings on their fourth finger but they behaved as close as Steve had only seen in happily married couples. For all the calm and peaceful days Steve had almost forgotten the brutal reality of living on a pirate´s ship. When Hawk spotted a ship early on morning Steve was unkindly reminded of it.

Steve had been training for a long time. Still when the other crewmembers gathered their swords and knifes, Bucky held Steve back. “I need you to stay behind. This is a big and most likely heavily armed trading vessel. I´ll need a fit and healthy doctor for the crew when we are done with them, alright?” Steve nodded, feeling conflicted. On the one hand he was glad that he didn´t have to prove himself so early on. On the other hand, he felt anxious, letting Bucky go into battle alone. Immediately after he had thought that he cursed himself. Bucky wouldn´t be alone, and even if he were, Steve hadn´t seen a more skilled and capable fighter, neither here nor back on land. Bucky caught Steve´s hand, giving it a squeeze. “We´ll be alright, you´ll see. Maybe, I´ll even bring you back a golden necklace or somethin´. Would you like that?”  
Steve laughed, pushing Bucky away. “Just go!” Bucky smiled just as wide, and then pulled Steve close to his chest.  
“Stay here but be ready to come when I call you.”   
“Yes, of course.”  
“Good. Then go.”   
Steve turned and marched away quickly, but turned around one last time, as he heard Bucky cry: “Ready the cannons! Fly the red flag!” The crew answered with a deafening war cry. 

***************************************

Steve couldn´t hear much of the fight going on outside. After a few loud cannon shots, the ships were close enough for the pirates to swing over with raised swords. Steve couldn´t see anything out of his small window since his room was located on the wrong side of the ship. So, he could only rely on what his ears told him. But after a while it became too nerve-racking to listen for every scream and every painful grunt, imagining the person behind it to be Thor, Sam, Natasha or even Bucky. Steve stopped himself from walking around aimlessly in his little room like a trapped tiger. He had to do something useful. But while all his instincts screamed for him to run out and help the crew, he knew that he had to stay here, waiting for his time to help after the battle. Instead he tried to occupy himself by pulling out various of his potions, bandages and needles, readying a kit full of the things he would most certainly need. 

He had just checked his bag from the hundreds time to make sure nothing was missing when he noticed that the sound of the battle had died down. He grabbed his back and ran to the door. There was no way that he would stay inside now. Sure, Bucky had said that he should stay inside until he was called, but since the battle was over, surely there was no harm in leaving his room now. But before he could pull open the door, it was violently pushed open from the outside. Sam stood in front of him, bloodied and out of breath, but seemingly not too badly injured. Steve was about to release a relieved breath when he noticed Sam´s terrified face. The pirate uttered only word, but it was enough to freeze Steve´s blood. 

“Bucky.”

The ship had never seemed as big as it was now, as Steve was desperately trying to get to the other side as quickly as possible. Sam was following him and tried to fill him in on some details. “Was a nasty fight. I mean, we won, of course. But these fuckers were good. Like really good. Bucky fought like madman. Tried to be everywhere at the same time, watched everyone´s back. I suppose he was just distracted by somethin´, dunno what. But one of these bastards got him bad. He´s in his room. Nat´s with him, dunno how bad it is, but it looks fucking horrible.”

Steve pushed open the door to Bucky´s quarters, not caring as it hit the wooden wall behind it. At first, he only saw Natasha, her red hair spilling messily over her back as she kneeled beside Bucky´s bed. As Steve hastened closer, he realised that she was holding Bucky´s hand, desperately pleading him to stay awake. Bucky looked, like Sam said, horrible. His normally brown hair was blackened with blood, his white shirt soaked and filthy. His eyes were still open, and they quickly found Steve´s as he fell hard on his knees beside Bucky´s bed. 

The Captain stretched out an uncoordinated hand and caressed Steve´s cheek softly but uncoordinatedly. He smiled dopily and looked more relaxed than was probably good, considering the kind of situation he was in.   
“Yer safe. `m glad.”   
“Yeah, Buck. I´m safe, you look like shit though.” Steve turned to Natasha, who gently lowered Bucky´s still raised hand.   
“Where is he hurt?”   
“Lower abdomen. Was a nasty hit. He has lost a lot of blood.”   
Steve nodded, and steeled himself before opening Bucky´s shirt. His stomach was covered in blood. “Water.” Steve forced his brain to turn off the fact that this was Bucky, forced himself to forget how important Bucky had become to him over these last few months. He had a job to do. Only after he had cleaned the wounds, stitched up the flesh, bandaged Bucky´s whole torso and washed the blood, all that blood, of his hands, only after he looked after the rest of the crew, only after he send Natasha and Sam away, telling them to rest, only then he allowed himself to crumble at Bucky´s bedside and cry his eyes out.

*****************************************

It took Bucky three days to really wake up. Steve had tried to feed him as much as possible whenever he could, knowing that Bucky´s healing body needed all the energy it could get. Natasha and Sam had both come in several times, trying to force Steve to leave and get some much needed rest, but he had refused, insisting that he needed to be by Bucky´s side in case of some development, for the better or the worse. By the time Bucky woke up, Steve felt drained but he simply couldn´t allow himself to leave Bucky. Some part of his brain told him that if any person had the right to stay by Bucky´s side it was Natasha, but the redhead gave Steve surprisingly much space and time considering that it was her husband that was on the brink of death.

Steve was wiping down Bucky´s face with a wet cloth, hoping to give him some relieve, when Bucky´s eyes fluttered and opened. “Bucky.” Steve´s voice sounded breathless and pathetic even to his own ears but he couldn´t care less.   
“Wha? What is goin´ on? What happened?” Bucky tried to sit up, his arms straining.   
“No, no.” Steve gently pushed him down. “You were injured and unconscious for three days. It´s best if you keep lying down for a bit.”   
“The crew?” Bucky gave up trying to sit up, instead looking up at Steve with surprisingly awake eyes.  
“They´re all fine. Some minor scrapes and bruised. Nobody was hurt as badly as you were.”  
“Good. That´s good to hear.”  
“How are you doing? Too be honest I wasn´t sure you would make it.”   
“I´m fine.”  
Steve smiles, shaking his head and swiping the cloth over Bucky´s forehand another time. “Just fine? You must be in horrible pain. Here, I have somethin´ that will help you deal with- “  
“Would you fucking stop that?” Bucky caught Steve´s wrist with surprising strength, pushing the hand away.   
Steve could only blink dumbly. “What? Bucky, I´m just trying to help you. I couldn´t properly wash you, so the least I could do was clean you up a bit. What is the problem?”  
“The problem”, Bucky pressed out, pushing himself in a sitting position, “is that I don´t need you to fucking mother me. You did your job, you stitched me up. That´s all I need from you. That’s all I want from you.”  
Steve shook his head helplessly. “Bucky- “  
“Don´t fucking call me that. It´s Captain to anyone but the first mate. Tell me, boy, are you my first mate? No? Then do not call me by my fucking name. You did your job. Now leave.”  
Steve stood up, feeling shaken worse than at any point in the last three days. Before he pulled the door open, he turned around once more. “I have left some pain medication on your table, should you need it, Captain.”   
He closed the door behind himself quietly, nodding at Natasha, who leaned against the mast. “He´s awake.”   
“And you are leaving his side? I can´t believe it.” She smiled teasingly but Steve could only swallow around his hurting throat.   
“Yeah, me neither. Excuse me.” He stepped around her, quickly making his way back to his room. Only once he reached his room he could finally collapse against the door, leaning his head against the wood and let the tears stream down his face soundlessly. 

*******************************************

The feeling that he had missed something huge, something very important, didn´t leave Steve for the rest of the day. Thor knocked on his door, offering him a bowl of soup. “Heard the Captain woke up. You did a good job, ´m really glad he picked you up.” “Yeah, me too.” Even to his own ears did Steve´s voice sound empty and soundless. Thor seemed to notice Steve´s dampened mood, nodding him goodbye and wishing him a restful night. But even though Steve felt drained like never before in his life, sleep wouldn’t come. 

He kept going over his conversation with Bucky, trying to figure out what he had done to enrage the Captain so much. And while he tried to think of other possibilities his mind kept telling him that Bucky must have finally figured out Steve´s weird and unusual obsession with him. Steve had to confess to himself that he must have given himself away with his clingy behaviour. Bucky was probably disgusted and had looked for a way to distance himself from Steve. Steve tried to remember if Bucky had given him hints before. Maybe Steve had just been so blind, not realising the Captain´s attempts to gently let Steve down, ultimately forcing the Captain to tell Steve straight up that he was unwanted.

Steve had no one to blame but himself. Captain Barnes had been nothing but a great and fair Captain, giving Steve a chance that no other Captain would have ever given him. It was Steve´s own fault, trying to force his attraction on the Captain. In his darkest moment Steve even thought, that maybe, just maybe, if he had made more of an effort, tried to fit in more, become more like a pirate, become stronger, a more valuable member to the crew, then maybe then the Captain would have still accepted him. He tried not to think about the Captain´s hurtful words too much, but it proved to be impossible. 

The crew had realised quickly that something had happened between Steve and the Captain, and they all tried to tread carefully. Steve still tried to make himself useful, took care of the injuries of the crew, helped Thor and played with Bruce and Tony, but his heart wasn´t in it. He hadn´t realised how much time he had been spending with the Captain until Bucky had sent him away. His cheeks flamed with an embarrassed red, thinking about all the time he had forced himself between Natasha and Bucky, taking away Bucky from his wife. The crew had probably realised as well but no one, not even Thor, had told Steve to back off. 

It took Bucky over a week before he could sit up. Since there was not much to do but let his wounds heal and occasionally changing the bandages, Steve had given that task to Natasha. The first mate had seemed confused at first, but after the first time she had redressed the Captain´s injuries, her confused looks had turned understanding and even somewhat pitying. Steve always had to look away quickly, hoping she would not see the tears pooling in his eyes. To be pitied by the wife of the man he loved was truly a new low. 

So, Steve made sure to stay away, to give the Captain the space he needed and deserved. He made sure, though, to give Natasha the crew for Bucky´s scars. The Captain should not suffer anymore pains because of Steve´s carelessness. Steve managed to avoid the Captain for almost two weeks. Bucky ate his meals in his quarters, still to weak to stand, and when he finally could, Steve made sure to steer clear of the dining room, allowing Bucky to continue eating his meals with his unwanted presence. So, to say that Steve was surprised when the Captain stood in front of his door one day. To say he looked incredibly uncomfortable, would be an understatement. 

“Captain Barnes? I didn´t… Do you need something? You could have sent Natasha.” Steve stammered, unsure of what was happening.   
“Steve, hello. May I come in?” The Captain moved from one leg to the other uneasily.   
“Yes, of course. Please come in, Captain.” Steve stepped aside, pulling the door fully open. Barnes winced, slowly stepping into the room.   
“Are you in pain? I have prepared an oil, that should support the healing of the wound. I was going to ask Natasha to pass it on, but since you are here, I can give it to you directly. Or do you need something else?”  
“Steve. Steve, please, I wanted to talk to you.” Barnes made his way over to the small bed, looking up at Steve for permission before he sat down.   
“Oh, okay. What, uhm, what did you want to talk about?” Steve remained standing, unsure of what to do. What did Bucky have to say, that couldn´t be said by any other crew member? Unless… “Are you going to send me away?” Steve gasped at his own realisation. No, this couldn´t be happening! He had nowhere to go, no place where he would be as safe as on this ship. Rushing forward he fell onto his knees in front of the Captain, grasping his hands.  
“Please, Captain. I beg you. Don´t send me away. I can still work for you. I can keep my distance. There is nowhere I´d rather be than on this ship. Please, I promise I´ll work harder, I´ll make more of an effort to fit in. Just please, don´t send me away!”  
“Steve, Steve, calm down. I´m not sending you away! Why would you even think that? I need you on this ship, more importantly I want you here.”  
“Thank you, Captain. Well, why are you here then?” Steve furrowed his brows, unsure of what to make of the situation.  
“Please, sit down, here, alright?” Barnes shifted to the side, allowing Steve to take a seat on the bed beside him.  
“First, please stop calling me Captain. Call me Bucky again, instead.”   
“I don´t understand…”  
“I want to apologise, Steve. The way I behaved was unacceptable. Yelling at you like this, casting you out. I shouldn´t have done that. I was in pain and confused and… The crew tells me that you have been miserable, and since I am responsible for you pain, I can only hope that you´ll forgive me.”  
“Captain- Bucky,” Steve shook his head, “there is nothing to forgive. I overstep, I made you uncomfortable and I didn´t even realise it. You were well within your rights to be angry with me.”  
“But that is the thing: I am not. I´m not angry or anything like that.” Bucky sighed. “Steve, I have to confess something to you, and I beg you to listen until I have said what I need to say.” Steve nodded, feeling wrong footed yet again. Bucky seemed to steel himself.

“The reason why I yelled at you that day was, that I had finally realised something on that day. In that battle. You know, I had known before that you were important to me, a true and loyal friend. Natasha used to laugh at me, she told me that I trust to fast and to easily and that it will one day be my death. But from the limited amount of time that we spent together I could already tell that you are a good person. Someone I want at my side at all time. In that battle, everything was going great. The ship had some soldiers accompanying it, of course. But we were winning. I knew that, the crew knew that. So, we became careless. I was fighting on deck, when I saw one of their fighters made his way deeper into our ship. Towards your room, where you waited, defenceless. In hindsight it was stupid to believe that he was trying to get to your room. He had no way of knowing you were on this ship nor did he know where. But I still became enraged. And I hunted him down. It was easy, taking him down. And Steve, I should have killed him immediately. But I wanted to know what he had been trying to do. So, I started to question him, right there. And while I was distracted, he grabbed his knife and well…” Bucky gestured towards his stomach. 

“When I woke up, the only thing I could think about was you. The way just the thought of something happening to you had made me blind with rage. The fact that I knew that I would do anything to protect you.”

Steve suddenly remembered the look on Bucky´s face when he had first seen Steve, as he lay injured in his bed. The pure relieve. His smile. “Yer safe. ´m glad.” That hadn´t just been empty words, Bucky had actually been scared. 

Bucky continued: “I thought the only way to protect myself from heartbreak was to send you away. To distance myself. But it didn´t work. I kept trying to find your face among the crew. I had to stop myself from stopping by at your door to talk to you or invite you out for a glass of rum. And when the crew told me that you were miserable… Natasha helped me see clearly again. She told me that there is no way to escape this world without being hurt. And that I should instead embrace the pain with all my heart and with it the love, happiness and joy it would bring. And that is why I´m here, Steve…”  
“I don´t understand, Bucky. What are you saying?”  
Bucky swallowed looking down to where his hands were encasing Steve´s.  
“Steve, I hope I am not pushing this onto you. If you don’t want this, please don´t be afraid to tell me. But if you do… I just want to…” Bucky seemed to desperately search for words and Steve would have loved to help him, but he had no idea what the Captain was trying to say. 

Then, Bucky moved forward, his hands leaving Steve´s and coming to rest on Steve´s cheeks. Steve´s eyes widened, staring at Bucky´s for a second before he felt the pirate´s lips touch his own and all thought was abandoned. Bucky´s lips moved gently the soft flesh contrasted by the scrape of his beard. Steve kissed back, moving closer to Bucky, his hands tangling in the Captain´s long hair. Bucky kept the kiss chaste and when he pulled his lips away, Steve chased them, not wanting to lose the contact.

Bucky laughed quietly, his eyes sparkling as he pushed a stray lock out of Steve´s face. “Well, this went better than expected.” He cleared his throat, looking down at Steve´s neck and then back up to his eyes. “I have something for you, like I promised.”  
“What?” Steve blinked confused, his lips this tingling, his mind still completely focussed on the feel of Bucky´s lips underneath them.   
“Here, just for you.” Bucky took Steve´s hand, holding it palm-up and gently lowering a fine golden chain into it. “I did promise to bring you a golden necklace, remember?” “Yeah.” Steve gently touched the golden chain links, letting the chain move from one had to the other, fascinated by the way the gold reflected the sunlight coming through the window.  
“May I?” Bucky reached for the necklace, his fingers hovering over the beautiful piece of jewellery questioningly. At Steve´s answering nod, he lifted the necklace and slowly put it around Steve´s neck, letting it rest between Steve´s collarbones. He stroked it one time before giving Steve another short kiss. “It looks wonderful on you. I must confess, I don´t know much, but Natasha recommended I take it. She said it would look beautiful on your rosé skin.”

The mention of the first mate made Steve feel as if his stomach was filled with ice water. What the hell had he been thinking, kissing Natasha´s partner. And what the hell was Bucky thinking? Did he want Steve as a side piece, something to play with and hold, when Natasha wasn´t around. And Natasha! Was she okay with it? Maybe she had no problem sharing her husbands, knowing she would still be number one? 

When Bucky leaned forward to kiss Steve again, unaware of Steve´s inner turmoil, Steve moved back. Buck made a questioning sound, but when he opened his eyes his look quickly turned worried. “Steve? What is going on? Do you not like the necklace? I´m sure I can find another one.”  
“The necklace is fine, Bucky. It´s just… I can´t do this.”  
“What are you talking about? What is `this`?”   
“This, you and me, us!” Steve widely gestured between himself and Bucky. “It´s not right.”  
Bucky sat back, looking astounded.   
“Not right. I understand.” He lowered his head, wiping his hand over his ears, rubbing furiously. “Well then. Good to know where you stand on this issue. I´m sorry to have pushed this on you. You should have just said… It doesn´t matter.” He stood up and marched to the door, yanking it open. Before he could storm out though, he turned around to face Steve once more. “For what it´s worth, I truly am sorry for what I said to you. And for kissing you. Had I known what you think I wouldn´t have done it. Do keep the necklace, it looks very good on you. Goodbye, Steve.”   
Steve knew that he had done the right thing in rejecting Bucky. Still when Bucky softly closed the door, he couldn´t help but think that he had just made a terrible mistake.

***************************************

“What is your fucking problem?” Steve started so badly, that he spilled the ink he had just been writing with all over the table. Natasha slammed the door shut behind herself and stalked towards Steve. He had never seen her this angry. “What´s going on? What did I do?” Confused he stood up to met her, only for her to push him against the nearest wall, pinning him to it with her forearm. “Woah, okay! Nat, what the hell is going on?”   
“You wanna know what is going on? Don´t you remember? Well, let me remind you. Bucky comes in here, apologising for admittedly stupid behaviour. He confesses his love to you, kisses you and gives you a present that he had been carrying around for days on end. And you fucking reject him. And because of what reason? Because you think two men being together is disgusting? I can understand you rejecting him because you don´t want him, but this? This is unacceptable! I know folks from the country are bigoted fuckers, but here on the ocean we have different rule, okay? Bucky loves you, and you think his love is disgusting! You little piece- “  
“Natasha!” Steve had finally found his voice again. “What are you going on about? Bucky didn´t confess his love to me! And even if he did, how are you so okay with this! I have no problem with men loving other men, but I had thought that you would have more of a problem with your husband cheating, to be honest!”  
Natasha lowered his arm, slowly stepping away. “Husband?”   
“Yes, Bucky. Your husband. Or partner or whatever. I never quite figured out if the two of you were married or not.”  
“Steve,” Natasha started again, this time slower and calmer, “Bucky is not my husband nor is he my partner. We grew up together. If anything, he is the closest thing to family that I ever had. I love him, yes. But like a brother. Did you really think Bucky would come in here and kiss you if he were already in a relationship?”  
Steve twisted his hands, looking at Natasha anxiously. “I have no idea. I was just so sure the two of you were together. Fuck, what did I do? Natasha, I told him that I didn´t want him!” Steve´s breath started to quicken.   
“Alright, Steve, we can still fix this. But first I must make sure. Do you love Bucky?”  
“Yes, I think I do. Fuck, Natasha, I thought that he wouldn´t want more than friendship. I can´t believe I ruined this!”  
“No, you are not gonna give up like this,” Natasha shook her head, “you´re gonna go there now and explain everything. I won´t allow you to give on him so easily.” She lifted her hands and gently cradled Steve´s head. “For what it´s worth: I´m really happy for you two. There is no one who deserves to be happy more than Bucky. You´ll be good for him. Now go.”

**************************************

Steve rushed to Bucky´s room, ducking out of Thor´s way as he carried a sack towards the ship´s kitchen. When he finally reached the Captain´s door he was out of breath, but he didn´t stop for one second, instead started to hammer again the dark wood. Bucky yanked the door open, looking frantic. He looked horrible, his eyes red rimmed, his cheeks colourless. “Steve? What happened? Is someone injured?” He tried to look behind Steve as if he was waiting for more people. “What? No, Bucky, everything is alright. I just wanted… Look, can I come inside?” Bucky followed Steve´s eyes to were Tony and Hawk were trying to act unsuspicious as they hung around the door to the crew´s rooms. “Yeah, sure come on in.” Bucky stepped aside, letting Steve enter.

“Listen, if you are here because Natasha pressured you, you don´t have to do this. I know she only wants what´s best for me but she has to understand how to respect other people´s boundaries as well.” Bucky had sat down on a chair by his desk, gesturing for Steve to sit down as well. He looked awfully small, like Steve had never seen the otherwise so proud and tall pirate Captain. “No, that´s not why I´m here.” Steve sat down cautiously. “I mean, she did come and talk to me and, you know, pushed me against the wall.” He chuckled s Bucky buried his head in his hands, muttering unintelligibly. “But,” Steve stroked Bucky´s hair, causing him to lift his head again, ever so slightly and look up at Steve with his clear blue eyes, “but she also help me understand something. You see, when you kissed me,” Steve blushed at the memory and had to clear his throat before continuing, “when you kissed me I thought that you only did that because you wanted some adventure. That Natasha wasn´t enough for you anymore. I just couldn´t stand being you second choice.” 

“Second choice.” Bucky echoed. “You thought me and Natasha…? Steve, she is like my sister!”   
“Yes, I know that now. That´s why I´m here. I thought that perhaps you might give me a second chance?” Steve couldn´t have kept the desperately hopeful tone out if his voice even if he tried. Bucky´s confused frown slowly turned into a bright smile. He slowly rose, making his was around the table. “A second chance? I´d give you a hundred chances if you´d only ask.” Taking Steve´s hand, he pulled him up from the chair. When Bucky´s lips touched Steve´s again he felt like he could breath again. Until the last second, he had feared the Captain had changed his mind. When the two separated, Bucky cradled Steve´s head in his palms. “Steve, I want you to know that I love you. You mean so much to me and I couldn´t bear loose you. Please be mine?” Steve quickly blinked away the tears that threatened to spill down on his cheeks. “Only if you´ll be mine too.” Bucky´s kiss was answer enough.

************************************

“Are you fucking kidding me? You couldn´t have waited another month?” Tony yelled when he saw Bucky and Steve stand at the railing looking out across the ocean together, holding hands. “Tony, that should teach you not to bet against me. Pay up, then!”, Hawk gloated. Tony grumbled but still handed over a handful of coins. “We´re gonna bet on the Red Woman next. I say she won´t find a worthy partner in the next six years.” Bruce, sitting close, nodded agreeably. “Pff, I´ll give it six months.” “Six months?! Hawk, you´re insane! Hey, Cap, did you hear that?” Bucky only chuckled, swinging an arm over Steve´s shoulder, pulling him close as they tuned out the bickering and enjoyed the colourful spectacle. 

************************************

“More rum!” Thor´s voice was loud enough that even the barmaid in a place as crowded as the little tavern they were at heard him. The crew had decided to spend a few days ashore, enjoying the spoils of their last successful fight. The large trading ship had put up little of a fight, not expecting to be overrun by a pirate´s ship so far away from the coast. Now, they all had gathered together in a bar, celebrating the last few months. Thor would delight in yelling a toast on every new round of drinks, insisting that it was a vital viking tradition he had to uphold. The rest of the pirates didn´t think about stopping him, for there was not better entertainment than hearing Thor yell badly translated Swedish verses. 

Steve had just filled his cup again and was already leaning heavily against Bucky, who had put a discrete arm around his waist and periodically pulled him closer, when a girl appeared at his side, tugging at his sleeve. “Sir? Sir, are you Steven Rogers?”   
“Mmh? What? Yeah, that´s me. Why do you want to know?”   
“I have a letter for you.  
“From whom?”  
“I can´t tell you, Sir, you´ll have to read it. Here, Sir, your letter.”   
She pushed the letter in Steve´s hand, curtsied and quickly ran off.  
“Steve? What is it?” Bucky leaned closer, seeming to sense Steve´s confusion. “I don´t know. She just gave me this letter.”  
“Well, open it! Might be from a secret admirer!” Bucky teased, as Steve ripped open the dirty piece of paper.  
Mouthing along with the word he read Steve felt the blood disappear from his face.  
“Bucky! Bucky!”, he desperately grabbed Bucky to pull him closer. Bucky´s leering grin dropped as he saw Steve´s horrified expression. “What? Steve, what is going on? You look like you have seen a ghost!”  
“Buck! This is letter from my sister!”  
Bucky frowned. “Your sister? You never told me that you had a sister!”   
“Doesn’t matter now. Here, read.” He pushed the letter in Bucky´s hand and re-read the words again, looking over Bucky´s shoulder.

Steve,  
I´m being held by Pierce. He wants information on your whereabouts. Won´t believe when I tell him I don´t know. Am being frequently questioned with the threat of torture. Currently at Pierce´s mansion. Please help!  
Darcy

“Steve? What the hell?”  
“I´ll explain everything, I swear! Just, please, help me safe my sister.”   
Bucky stared at Steve for one more second, then turned towards the rest of the crew. “Back to the ship!”   
“What?! Captain, we are here to drink and have fun! And we didn´t have enough fun yet!” The rest of the crew nodded agreeable as Tony loudly complained. “Back to the ship! Now!” Bucky´s voice left no room for discussion. Steve had never heard him speak with this much barely controlled rage. The crew grumbled but had seemingly realised that their Captain wasn´t joking. 

Back on the ship, with the entire crew slightly sobered up and seated in the dining room, Bucky gestured for Steve to stand up. “Steve has to tell you something.” Steve swallowed. Bucky´s voice still sounded so cold. But before he could stand up, Bucky squeezed his hand reassuringly. Steve smiled at him thankfully. Gathering his nerves, he stood up, facing the rest of the pirates. 

“Most of you don´t now how I came to be on this ship. I will tell you everything now and I can only ask you not to treat me any different afterwards, okay? Bucky didn´t hire me at that port. I sneaked onboard and hid in the storage space. Badly, I must add. Hawk and Sam found me the next morning and brought me to Bucky. And he, “Steve turned to Bucky to give him a thankful small smile,” He decided not to throw me overboard but rather to offer me the position as the ship´s doctor. So far, some of you already know the story. But now I´ll tell you why I had no other option but to sneak on the ship, even when it seemed like a suicide mission.  
“After my mother died my sister and I started to work for a man called Mister Pierce. Mister Pierce hired my sister and me to take care of his grandchildren, to teach them music and art. We quickly grew close with the family they were always friendly and kind to us. But one night one of the children had a fever so Darcy and I stayed later to take care of him. When we walked downstair to say good night to Mister Pierce, we overheard him-“ Steve had to take a deep breath, gathering himself, he continued:   
“He was talking to a man, ordering him to kill a governor that was going to visit soon after. He saw us and he had realised that we had heard him. We barely managed to escape the house. We ran into a neighbouring forest and there we decided to separate to force Pierce to split his resources. We both talked to the guards to tell them that the governor was in danger but they didn´t believe us. And of course, Pierce didn´t act on his promise, as not to make himself a suspect. He had us followed and tried to catch us. I barely made it on this ship. I had thought that my sister had been able to escape as well. But tonight, I received a letter. She is being held hostage by Pierce as he is trying to find out where I am. She was able to get one of the servant girls to send me a letter, begging for my help. I know I have no right to ask you this. But my sister is a good person, and she does not deserve this fate. Will you please help me rescue her?”

For a few seconds it was silent in the room. Bucky´s fingers were squeezing Steve´s as they waited for a reaction of the crew. Then Hawk stood up. “When I first met you, I wanted to kill you. For a long time, I wasn´t sure if you would fit in here. But you did good. You proved your worth. And I know what it´s like to lose family and I wouldn´t wish that to anybody. So, aye! I´ll help you safe your sister!” “Me too!” Sam joined him. “You have become my brother, Steven! I´ll not let fight this battle alone!” Thor, surprisingly sober, rose as well. And then, one by one, the rest of the crew stood up. Bruce came forward. “Steve, you are part of this now. We always help our brothers. Even if they come to us in strange ways.”

Steve blinked away the tears in his eyes. “Thank you all, truly.” “Well, not that this is decided,” Bucky stood up as well, “set course to south-east. Let us use the good wind.” The crew scattered, making their way towards the deck. Bucky pulled Steve along towards the door, as Natasha caught his hand. “We are going to get her back, I promise.” Steve nodded. “Thank you, Natasha.”

********************************************

Steve turned around in the small bed, curling once again around Bucky. “Mmh. If you don’t stop tossing and turning, you´ll never fall asleep.”, Bucky muttered pulling Steve closer with his back to his chest. “Sorry.”, Steve whispered. “I´m just so worried.” Bucky yawned and shook a little as if to wake himself up more. “I know. Just as I know that telling you to stop won´t make you stop. But we are going as fast as possible and we´ll be at Pierce mansion in a few hours. You should get some sleep while you can.” “Yeah, I know.” Steve stared at the moonlight pouring over the paper and quills scattered on Bucky´s desk. He only managed to stay quiet for a few seconds. “I´m sorry.”   
“What? What are you sorry for, Stevie?”   
“I should have told you. About what happened with Pierce. About Darcy. I just… I was so happy here, that I just wanted to leave it all behind. I should have tried to search for Darcy. God, I never should have left her.”  
“Steve, stop. Thinking about it won´t change anything. You and your sister had a plan and I didn´t work out. That can happen. It´s nobody´s fault. Just imagine if your sister had been safe and you would have turned around and led them straight to her. Point is, you had no way of knowing what was happening to her. It´s not your fault.”  
“I know. I mean, logically I know. It just still feels to wrong.”  
Bucky shifted, pulling Steve to roll over and face him.  
“Did I ever tell you how I got these scars?” He gestured to his left shoulder. Steve shook his head. Bucky crossed his arms behind his head and cleared his throat. “I was a young man, still serving in the Royal Navy. I had a friend, a best friend. We became inseparable pretty quickly. He was hilarious, kind and incredibly brave. Not to mention beautiful.” Bucky chuckled self-deprecatingly. “I fell so quickly, so deeply. And I thought that he felt the same. And when I finally kissed him, the first time I ever kissed another man, he kissed me back. I knew we were going to have to hide it, of course, the Navy doesn’t take things like this lightly. But I was ready to do it for him. That night as I laid in bed, I imagined us leaving the Navy together and going somewhere, where we could live free and be ourselves. 

“The next morning, I was called to the Captain. The man I had confess my love to just hours before had sold me out, for a bit of money and some shiny medal. The jail they threw me in was horrible. My cellmates quickly found out why I was being imprisoned. One of them had a knife, no idea where he got it from. But they held me down and cut into me for hours, disgusted with my very presence. I would have bled out if it hadn´t been for Natasha. She had heard what situation I was in and raised hell. She got me out of there. Blew up the entire jail. We have been sailing as pirates ever since. But the point is, I never let go of the pain that Brock, my first love, had caused me. I refused myself the chance to heal. I didn´t let anyone lessen the pain the scars gave me. Because I wanted to punish myself for the way I trusted carelessly. I promised myself that the scars would remind me, should I ever try and love again, that love would only hurt me. And then you came along. Offering to put rose scented crème on my scars. And somehow I could trust again.” Bucky chuckled, looking down at Steve.

“You are a good person, Steve. And you don´t deserve to be carrying this guilt when you have done nothing but good here. I´m so fucking glad you decided to sneak onto my ship. I don´t know what would have become of me without you.”

Steve didn´t know what to say, except for: “I love you.” Immediately his eyes widened. Bucky laughed again. “Steve, you are my light. There is no one I´d rather dream about running away with then you.” He pulled Steve in for a kiss and then tucked the blanket closer around them. “Now, let´s sleep, okay?”

***************************************

It was surprisingly to sneak into the giant mansion. A man so feared, and an influence so legendary Steve had thought that trying to get on the house unnoticed would be nearly impossible. That hadn´t stopped him of course. But still, he pondered, crouching between Sam and Bucky, climbing up the rope they had thrown over the outer walls hadn´t been a struggle at all. Of course, it was late at night and the property was nearly abandoned but he had thought that they would have to sneak around at least two men guarding Mister Pierce´s house.

“This way.” Steve whispered, pointing towards a door at their left. The crew had decided to separate, with most of them staying on the first floor to stop any guards that were trying to follow Steve, Sam, Thor and Hawk down to the dungeon. The small party quickly made their way down the massive stairway, the air around them getting colder. In front of the heavy wooden door stood only one guard who Thor quickly and efficiently knocked unconscious. Hawk caught the body before it could hit the floor and grabbed the set of keys from his belt. Steve willed his hands not to shake as he pushed the key into the lock and turned it. He pushed the door open slowly, trying to limit any sound coming from the old frame. Finally, the door was open enough to slip through. Steve squeezed into the dark room behind, holding a candle. “Darcy? Darcy, are you here?” He lowered the candle and stepped further into the room. Bucky followed him. “Steve?” A weak voice from his right. Steve turned and rushed to where he had heard the voice. “Darcy! It´s me! I´ve come to get you out.”

When he finally could see his sister, he had to suppress a horrified gasp. Darcy was filthy, her clothes covered with dirt. Her cheeks were caved inward, and her bare arms and legs were littered with bruised. “Steve, is it really you?” “Yes, Darcy! I got your message! I´m here now.” Darcy began to cry. “Thank god! Steve, I was so worried! I thought he would get you too, or that my message wouldn´t reach you.” Steve dropped to his knees, leaning forward to hug his sister. “Steve, we have to hurry up.” Bucky reminded him, pulling the key from the lock and selected the right on for the chain around Darcy´s leg. “Steve? Who is this?” “This is Bucky. I´ll explain everything later. Let´s get you out of here first, alright?” 

The way back up the stairs was slow, Thor helping Darcy take the steps. Finally, they reached the first floor. Making their way across the corridor, they nearly reached the door, when a man stepped out of the shadow. “Well, well, who do we have here?” He slowly stepped closer, blocking their way to the rest of the crew. As he stepped into the light of a candle positioned at the wall, Steve´s blood froze. “Bucky, it´s him. The man Pierce ordered to kill the governor. Bucky?” But Bucky didn´t answer, instead he stared at the assassin, not moving a limb. The assassin stepped closer. “What did you call him, huh? Bucky. Well, if that isn´t a surprise! It must be my lucky night. I get to kill you and your bitch of a sister and also the man that gave me my very first medal. Hey, Bucky. Did you miss me?”

“Brock.” Steve yanked his head around to look at Bucky. “Brock?”, he asked, “This is Brock?” “Oh, I see, I have talked about me. Is this your new lover, Bucky?” Brock laughed meanly. “This is just wonderful. I´m going to kill him first of course, and I´ll make you watch.” Sam moved to lift his sword, but Bucky held him back. “Don´t.” “Captain?” “He is mine.”

Steve had never seen Bucky really fight before. Sure, he had seen Bucky´s swordsmanship in their lessons but he had never seen how Bucky fought when was trying to actually kill his opponent. The two men looked almost feral, their teeth bared, swords clashing. Brock was good but Bucky was better. Fuelled by pure, unadulterated anger that had been simmering for over a decade Bucky threw himself into the battle with all his power. Again and again he attacked Brock and the other man seemed to realise that he was outmatched. He tried to taunt Bucky, but it was as if the Captain couldn´t even hear him. The pirates stood beside Steve and Darcy, shifting uneasy, wanting to help their Captain but being forbidden from doing to. And Steve finally realised where Bucky reputation as the most violent and feared pirates captain alive came from. It was only a matter of seconds until Brock was on his back, Bucky´s sword at his throat. Steve felt strangely reminded of himself that very first morning on Bucky´s ship. But this time Bucky´s eyes were not filled with a sparkle of laughter. Instead his eyes were ice cold as he slit Brock´s throat.

****************************************************

Steve barely remembered the way back to the ship. The rest of the crew lead by Natasha had dealt with the rest of the guards that had been called by the noise of the fight between Bucky and Brock. Once they were back in the ship Bucky ordered the sails to be set and proudly stood by the steering wheel, navigating the ship out towards the open sea. Steve had asked Thor to put Darcy down in his room, taking care of her wounds. Then he stood in the middle of his room, feeling conflicted. He wanted to make sure Bucky was alright, but he didn’t want to leave his sister alone. In the end it was Natasha who made the choice for him. Stepping inside the room she nodded for Steve to leave and promptly invited herself to take a place at Darcy´s bedside. And more gently than Steve had ever seen, she took Darcy´s hand and pushed a strand of hair out her face. The look on her face was so intimate and calm that Steve was sure that Hawk would win this bet too. As he hugged Bucky from behind and pressed his face between his shoulder blades, he was sure that it would take Darcy even less time to fall for Natasha.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
